| 35. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the articular perfect participle ho heorakos {ὁ ἑωρακὼς | ho heōrakṓs} functioning as the subject, immediately followed by the perfect indicative verb memartyrēken {μεμαρτύρηκεν | memartýrēken} “has testified,” establishing a formal witness. The conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} links three clauses: the act of testifying, the status of the testimony, and the witness’s knowledge. In the nominal clause alethinē autou estin hē martyria {ἀληθινὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία | alēthinḗ autoû estín hē martyría}, the predicate adjective alēthinē precedes the subject for emphasis on reliability, with autou indicating ownership. The demonstrative ekeinos {ἐκεῖνος | ekeînos} resumes reference to the same witness, now with oiden {οἶδεν | oîden} “has known,” highlighting settled conviction. The content clause hoti alēthē legei {ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγει | hóti alēthḗ légei} presents “true things” said by the witness, where alēthē functions substantivally. The purpose clause hina hymeis pisteuēte {ἵνα ὑμεῖς πιστεύητε | hína hymeîs pisteúēte} expresses the intended result: that the readers may believe, with the subjunctive pisteuēte conveying ongoing trust. |